I have the rings out of the grooves in front of the lock plate. It looks like it is just the plate left, and whatever is attaching it to the steering shaft. I can pull the whole shaft out about an inch, lock plate with it, but can't do much more with the plate than wiggle it a tiny tiny bit back and forth. It looks like there may be some sort of ring that's right there with the lock plate? It's definitely not a snap ring though. I did take those out for sure, two of them.